COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTIONOur Barleywine Style Ale is rich & malty with hints of fruity esters & a well-hopped finish. Enjoy this hearty ale with fresh fruit & rich cheese on a cold, winter’s night, or lay it up & savor it with a friend for a special summer treat.

22oz bottled 2005. Hazy amber with a firm but fading head. Sweet, hoppy aroma following through in the flavor. Nearly a year in the bottle and still a little sticky sweet. Not too bitter relative to the body though, and not the complexity to be found in some others. I do not note the flaws others have found, and this is a decent example of a full bodied, malty-hoppy beer.

650ml bottle, 06/06/15. Pours auburn with a nice brownish head. Aroma is semi-sweet, a wallop of caramel and resin. Dried fruit, some date. Taste follows along the same lines, some liquorice. Full Really nice.

2011 vintage purchased at the brewery today for a reasonable $12.50. Spilt 2/ways with Willrunforbeer. Mostly clear amber in color with fast dying head. Aroma is exactly as it should be, dark fruits, toasted grain, barley, earth malts. What surprised me the most about the flavor is it does not show any oxidation. The finish is sweet without any cloying affect. The alcohol is almost completely hidden with just the lightest warming after the swallow. This is well worth the money I spent on a brewery aged beer.

22oz bomber from 2011 that AirForceHops just picked up from the source. Thanks, Chris! Pours medium amber with a beige head. Aroma is molasses, brown sugar, dates, raisin, mild floral finish. Flavor is caramel, brown sugar, molasses, vanilla, oak. This is nice and smooth and doesn’t show any oxidation off flavors.

UPDATED: MAY 5, 2015 4 oz pour from tap into sniffer at 54 degrees. 2013 version. Huge head and a beautiful ruby color. Nose is complex. Fruit, yeast, and a little pine. Musty (like rotting wood but not in a bad way). Full bodied and creamy. Taste has a lot going on. Fruit, grass, woody, a little citrus hidden in there. The alcohol is hidden amazingly well. No trace unless I really look for it. A little sweet.

Bottle from Wegman’s Williamsport. Bottled in 2009. Another dusty oldie from the back of my fridge. Pours brown with a thin khaki head. I’m surprised it has any carbonation at this point so I guess that bottle-conditioning thing is working. Does smell a bit boozy on the nose. diesel fuel on the tongue although there’s a hint of fig if you look for it. fairly malty on the finish which isn’t a surprise. barleywine ’s not exactly my favorite style, and even with some age this is still some potent stuff.

Join us! RateBeer is made by beer enthusiasts for the craft beer community.
Your basic membership is free and allows you to read all beer ratings.
Click here to create your account... and give your opinion!